FG Pledges to Complete Ongoing Airport Remodelling Projects

Federal government has said that no project in the ongoing remodelling of the airports would be abandoned.

Samuel Ortom, supervising aviation minister, said this at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos shortly after an inspection of the ongoing remodelling exercise yesterday.

He, however, added that the Federal Government would not embark on any new project in the aviation industry until the ongoing ones were completed within the two years as agreed in the contract.

There had been speculation in some quarters that the ministry would abandon some of the ongoing projects scattered across airports in the country especially as about N174bn has been expended on the projects.

While explaining that some projects had been suspended due to lack of funds, the supervising minister said that contractors have however resumed work especially as the Federal Government had signed the 2014 budget into law.

He said: “I want to assure Nigerians that the projects will be completed. The projects are part of the aviation master plan dully approved by the federal executive council.  Every single project that was started in the remodelling plan in the phase one, two and three will be completed.

“We will generate enough revenue in addition with the federal government funding to execute the projects. I want to allay the fears of Nigerians that the projects won’t be completed. The debts and commitment are there but you can see the massive work going on in the aviation industry today. That justifies the N174bn debts.

“But we intend not to embark on new projects so we can concentrate our energies and ensure we complete the projects started by my predecessor.”

Ortom stated that the ministry would prioritise the projects and that already some of the projects were about 70 to 80 per cent completed.